Chapter 104: Arrival at Baling

At the public parking lot beneath Mount Taihuang, Li Yunfei retrieved his car into his system inventory. He had no intention of driving to Baling; for him, that would be a waste of time. From Mount Taihuang to Baling, driving would cover over 400 kilometers and take about five hours. However, the straight-line distance was only 320 kilometers, which could be covered in just over half an hour by flying sword. When he first entered the Yin Spirit Realm, his endurance for sword flight had already exceeded half an hour. Now, standing on the threshold of the peak Yin Spirit stage, flying for a full hour was no problem. Combined with the stamina boost from the King Pig Pellet, he could maintain flight for about an hour and twenty minutes in one go.

Given the current strength of himself and Honghong, they no longer required external transportation; even running was faster than driving. However, one could not simply dash at high speeds or fly on swords in public while in a city. One shouldn't show off like that, so a vehicle was still necessary. After putting away his car and leaving the parking lot, Li Yunfei summoned his flying sword and shot off toward Baling.

This was his first time traveling a long distance by sword, and Li Yunfei felt invigorated. The twinkling lights below and the floating clouds brushing past his sides made him keenly aware that, in less than two months, he had transformed from an ordinary person among the masses into a celestial being soaring through the heavens. Watching the mountain ranges pass swiftly beneath his feet, Li Yunfei murmured, "Unknowingly, have we really become this strong?"

Standing in front of him and leaning against his body, Honghong also replied in a daze, "Yes! I've experienced so much with Master Brother during this time, but looking back, it has only been less than two months."

Li Yunfei placed one hand on her delicate shoulder and gently stroked her soft, silky hair with the other, smiling, "What are your thoughts, Honghong?"

Honghong pulled the lollipop from her mouth and giggled, "When I was just a fox, I was ignorant and didn't have many thoughts. I only hoped that Master Brother would stay with me more, and that if I could have a few eggs and some chicken meat every day, that would be the happiest life."

Li Yunfei chuckled, finding it amusing, "You were certainly easy to care for."

Honghong nuzzled him affectionately, laughing, "I am easy to care for! But Master Brother was always out busy every day, and I was so bored by myself that I could only sleep all day. You have no idea how much willpower it took for me to resist tearing the house apart."

"Pfft..." Li Yunfei couldn't help but burst into laughter. "It's precisely because Honghong is well-behaved, cute, and doesn't tear the house apart that Master likes you so much!"

Honghong proudly remarked, "When I played with Er Mao next door, I heard him say he chewed up the sofa and got a sound beating from his owner, and his dog food was docked for days, leaving him with only rice soaked in soup. I'm not that stupid!"

"Hahahaha..." Li Yunfei laughed heartily. Er Mao was the name of the neighbor's Golden Retriever. He had thought only sled dogs were prone to destroying houses; he hadn't expected a Golden Retriever to do the same.

Honghong pursed her lips and smiled, "Later, after I gained sentience, I understood more and feared loneliness even more. Fortunately, after gaining sentience, I can stay by Master Brother's side at all times, and that makes me truly happy. Even if I have to go on adventures and fight all kinds of monsters with Master Brother, I'm not afraid at all. As long as I am by Master Brother's side, Honghong fears nothing."

After saying this, she turned around, hugged Li Yunfei’s leg, and looked up at him. "Master Brother, promise me, no matter what happens, never abandon Honghong."

Looking into Honghong’s eyes, which shimmered like starlight under the night sky, Li Yunfei felt his heart soften; no one could resist the puppy-dog eyes of a little girl. He crouched down, pulled her small, soft body into his embrace, and said tenderly, "Master swears: we shall live and die together, and never be parted."

Honghong’s little face was filled with joy. Subconsciously, she stuck out her pink tongue again. But this time, she held back; she did not lick Li Yunfei’s face, but instead kissed his cheek with lips that were soft, moist, and carried the sweet scent of a lollipop. She was working hard to overcome her fox instincts and learn how to be a human.

...

More than half an hour later, with forty percent of his spiritual energy depleted, Baling Prefecture lay beneath them. Using his phone to locate the Baling Hotel, Li Yunfei landed his sword in a quiet street nearby, summoned his car, and drove to the hotel parking lot. The Baling Hotel was the only five-star hotel in the prefecture. Since Li Yunfei was no longer short on money, he naturally wanted to treat himself better. He checked into a luxury executive suite with Honghong, ordered a meal, and headed straight to their room.

The luxury executive suite, commonly known as a presidential suite, covered nearly a hundred square meters and included a bedroom, a living room, and a study. It was very spacious and comfortable, and the price was naturally not cheap. After sharing a big meal with Honghong, he hung a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door.

"Honghong, we suffered because our magic treasures weren't refined during the Yellow Immortal dungeon. Tonight, let's each refine a few treasures!"

Honghong, sinking comfortably into the soft sofa, tilted her head and said, "But according to Master Brother's refining method, after imprinting our primordial spirit, we still have to store the treasures in our bodies to nourish them for forty-nine days before they become one with us. We can't use them in the short term, can we?"

Li Yunfei smiled confidently. "I just thought about it. The reason magic treasures need such long nourishment is that we can only merge a sliver of our primordial spirit into them. The biggest problem is that the sliver is very weak and doesn't bond tightly with our main consciousness, which is why nourishment is needed. But don't forget, we have this."

Li Yunfei flipped his hand, and a black pill the size of a longan appeared. Honghong’s eyes lit up, and she exclaimed happily, "That’s right! We’ve already consumed enough Soul Pills ourselves, so they are no longer effective for us. Using Soul Pills to refine magic treasures might quickly strengthen that sliver of primordial spirit. Master, you are so smart to think of that!"

Li Yunfei laughed, "Whether it works or not remains to be seen, but the probability is high."

He immediately brought out four purple-gold hammers, two blood-sucking flying swords, and two Yellow Wind Gourds. "Here, we will each refine two purple-gold hammers, one gourd, and one flying sword. This is the most appropriate number, allowing for perfect control. Four treasures correspond perfectly to our four limbs. When we fight unarmed, our limbs are the most basic and flexible tools; using magic treasures is much the same. The Yellow Wind Gourd can stun opponents, the purple-gold hammers are for breaking through defenses, and the flying swords provide life-stealing effects. This combination is the most comprehensive and reasonable."

Controlling magic treasures with the connection of the primordial spirit is the same as controlling the body with the brain. Humans are accustomed to coordinating their four limbs to perform actions, so controlling four treasures is identical to using one's limbs. It wasn't that they couldn't control five or six, but with too many, the primordial spirit would be overwhelmed, leading to a state of chaos where the treasures flew wildly, and one couldn't exert full power. It was actually less effective than having fewer.

For example, someone skilled in boxing and palm techniques uses their hands more, while their legwork is relatively weaker. Conversely, those skilled in legwork have weaker hand techniques. Those who are proficient in both are simply extremely well-coordinated. If someone in combat insisted on using an untrained headbutt, it would only hinder their strikes, significantly reducing their combat effectiveness.

Therefore, having too few treasures won't do, but having too many is just as bad; one must find the right balance. As their cultivation grows and their soul power increases, they would be able to perfectly control more treasures. At this stage, four was the most appropriate. It was like a martial artist; in the early stages, they primarily use their four limbs for combat. But once martial cultivation reaches a certain level, where control over the body reaches a microscopic level—where every part, even every muscle, can be controlled at will—then naturally, the entire body can be used to attack.